Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: POP MART has rapidly emerged as China’s leading designer toy company, propelled by its proprietary intellectual property (IP) portfolio and a blind-box retail model that gamifies consumer behavior. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach integrating secondary data, industry reports, and fifteen semi-structured interviews, this study investigates three core questions: (1) how POP MART’s business model creates and captures value; (2) the key success factors that sustain its competitive advantage; and (3) the strategic risks that may constrain its long-term growth. Findings indicate that POP MART leverages a vertically integrated IP ecosystem, omnichannel retail networks, and data-driven community engagement to transform purchase uncertainty into customer loyalty and repeat sales. Nevertheless, regulatory scrutiny and market saturation present growing challenges. The paper concludes with a strategic roadmap that emphasizes cautious overseas expansion, product diversification, and enhanced compliance capabilities. This study enriches existing research on gamified retailing and IP-based brand management and offers actionable insights for practitioners in emerging consumer markets.
Authors: Xinkai Zhou, Gangwei Qing
Institutions: Shoreline Community College, Irvine Valley College
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415166372
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